Systemic　lupus　erythematosus　(SLE)　is　an　autoimmune　disease　characterized　by　chronic　inflammation.　Different　studies　have　shown　decreased　bone　mineral　density　(BMD)　in　patients　with　SLE.　The　objective　of　this　study　was　to　investigate　the　prevalence　and　possible　risk　factors　of　low　BMD　in　untreated　female　patients　with　SLE　in　Chinese　population.　A　total　of　119　untreated　female　patients　with　SLE　were　included.　BMD　was　measured　at　lumbar　spine　and　at　total　hip　by　dual-energy　X-ray　absorptiometry.　The　associations　between　decreased　BMD　and　demographic　variables,　clinical　variables,　and　bonemetabolism　variables　were　analyzed.　These　SLE　patients　had　the　following　characteristics:　mean　age　was　32.6　+/-　11.9　years,　mean　disease　duration　was　22.1　+/-　34.5　months,　and　mean　SLEDAI　was　11.4　+/-　5.4.　Osteopenia　was　present　in　31.1%　of　the　patients　and　osteoporosis　in　8.5%.　A　significant　negative　association　between　low　density　lipoprotein　cholesterol　(LDL-c)　and　BMD　at　the　lumbar　spine　(correlation　coefficient　=　-0.242;　P　=　0.023)　and　total　hip　(correlation　coefficient　=　-0.259;　P　=　0.019)　was　shown.　These　results　seem　to　indicate　that　increased　LDL-c　may　be　an　important　risk　factor　for　low　BMD　at　lumbar　spine　and　total　hip　in　untreated　female　SLE　patients.